The black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus), also known as the black-shouldered kite, is a small-sized raptor which belongs to the family Accipitridae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, tropical Asia and Europe. It is one of the most beautiful raptors in the world with a white head and body and gray wings with black streaks. It has red eyes outlined in black which are forward facing like an owl’s.
Although found mainly on the plains they have been seen at higher altitudes in Sikkim, the Nilgiris and Nagaland. They are said to be winter visitors in some parts of the Western Ghats. They are essentially non-migratory, but may move in response to weather and food availability.
The black-winged kite is an agile and competent hunter that eats reptiles, insects, bats, smaller birds and rodents. It has a number of ways to catch prey. It may perch on a branch waiting till it spots a suitable candidate, which it then swoops down and captures. It is also adept at hovering mid-air till an opportune moment when it descends and grabs its prey. It is also known to take advantage of grass fires and hunt small wildlife escaping the flames.
These kites build somewhat flimsy nests in the fork of a tree or a palm. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs which she incubates over a period of 30-35 days. After the nestlings hatch, they take around 30 to 40 days to leave the nest and fly away. Unlike other raptors black-winged kites will raise several groups of young ones almost back to back. This multiple breeding during the year is probably one of the reasons why this species is actually seeing an increase in population rather than a decline.
Picture Credit : Google
